Hand signal discharger



Nov. 16, 1948.

L. V. WHIPPLE HAND SIGNAL DISCHARGER Filed June 16, 1943 7a IN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 16, 1948 .Leon .Whipple, .Berkley,.iMich., assignor :to Eureka, Williams Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Application June16, 1943; Serial No.491,267

1 l. 1 This invention relates to .signaldischargers and has particular reference to a simple and .in-. expensive pyrotechnic ,signal discharger which is adaptedto be hand operated,

Principal objects or the invention are:

To provide a durable, inexpensive, andefiicient hand operated discharger;

To provide a dischargerof this type which is adapted to. handle .both rim type and. interrim type of-ammunition;

To-provide adischarger of the type referred to with. anextractor whichis adapted to handle both rim type and interrim type of ammunition; and

To provide a discharger'of the characterdieclosed with a very simple and convenient form of safety.

Other objects and advantages .of the invention will be apparent from a considerationof the following specification taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings, 'of which thereis one sheet and wherein: I

Fig. l is an elevational View of adischarger embodying the invention;

A Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewtaken along the line 22of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken'along the line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational'view with parts 'illustrated'ln section with thefibreechfof the discharger'open;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a modified form-of safety in 'fon position; and i Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig; 5 but with the safety in off position;

3 Claims. (Cl. 42-.-.-2)

tractor 28. The barrel!!! may be formed of steel tubing or any other suitable materiaLandhas its breechend flared or enlarged as indicated at 22 to accommodate the. rims or fiangesgof rim type ammunition. The breech 12, as illustrated, consists of a pair of flat, lplate-like members .24 and 2S suitably integrally united. The plate. is adapted to seat against the end .28 of the breech end of the barrel .iiifonclosing the same. .The plate 24 is extended beyond the sides of the barrel ID to provide a bifurcation 30which forms part of a hinge 32 by means of which the latch I4 is hinged to. the :breech ':i2 'lhe endop the latch M isacccmmodated-be'tween the bifurcations-30 and a pin 34 extends through suitably formed portions of the bifurcation 30 and the end of the iatch'l l to'form'the hinge 32.

"When the breech is closed the latch I4 is adapted to bepositioned'along side the outside of the barrel 16,-as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The latch I4 may be formed of a U-shaped piece of metal and has arranged therein spring pressed detent- '36 which is cooper-able with a retainer or keeper-38 for holding the latch I4 in the position illustrated in Fig; 1 and hence holding the breech i2 closed.

The keeper or retainer '38 may consist of a suitable .U-shaped strip of .metal secured to the exterior ofthe barreland inpositicn to be accomm'odated between the side legs of the latch M. The spring pressed detent 35 is carried by a block which is integrally secured between the side legsof the latch 14-. 'The latch It is notched as indicated at 42 to accommodate the enlarged end 2-2 of the barrel l4.

- Theother side of the plate 24 is extended to form a part of the hinge M by means of which the-breech all! is-pivotally connected to the barrel lil. i The part ofthe plate 24 which extends to one side of the barrel H! to form a part of the hingeAd is bifurcatedasindicated at 45 so as to accommodate. therebetween a bracket 48 which forms a part of a hollow box or member 50 secured to the exteriorof the barrel ill adjacent thabreech end thereof.

- A pin EZ carried by the bracket 48. extends through the :bifurcations 16 to complete the hinge -44." Thebox or member 50 is adapted to houseytheextractor mechanism which includes the extractorloa The free end 54 of the extractor 20 projectsupwardly through a notch 56 formed in theend ofthe barrel-.10, the end 54 being positioned as illustrated in Fig. 3 when the breech i2" is closedfi :In this-position the end 54 of the extractor-201s adapted to engage either the rim of apiece of rim type ammunition or the shoulder of arpiece vof interrim type of ammunition, so that when the breech is opened, as illustrated in Fig-.4, the piece of.-,-ammunition will be extracted. Theextraotor 20 has its other end connected to a bailetnltheiendsof which are pivotally connected-to theabreech l2at62. The side walls of the member Ell-are provided with slots 64 through which the -bail.extends,-the extractor 20 being positioned between theside walls of the box 50. Thezextractormll iszpivotedrto the bail fifl and a eminent ep sitionedii .theol cx 1' andsecured 3 to the bottom Wall thereof biases the extractor 20 toward the barrel ID.

The bail 60 is so connected to the breech I2 that when the breech is opened the extractor is tion into the barrel I0. The enlarged end 28 of the barrel permits the front end of the ammunition to be positioned at the side of the end 54 of the extractor so that the same can be depressed in order to insert the ammunition in the barrel II]. If the breech I2 is swung about its hinge 180 from the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 3, the extractor 20 will be positioned in the same place as that in which it is illustrated in Fig. 3.

A guide Ill projects through a central opening in the breech I2 and on the rear face thereof has secured thereto a nut I2. The guide 10 and nut 12 form a housing and support for the firing pin I8 which is formed on the forward end of a pin to which the knob I6 is secured. The firing pin is provided with a lateral flange M and a spring 76 is arranged around the pin I8 and between the flange M and the guide I for biasing the firing pin to its retracted position. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the firing pin is straddled by a spring clip l'8 which is positioned between the nut I2 and the knob I6, thereby preventing actuation of the firing pin. The spring clip I8 is carried at one end of a chain 80 which may be fastened to a loop 82 formed on one end of the hinge pin. 34. The spring clip 18 may be readily separated from the firing pin so that the same maybe actuated by a blow imparted to the knob It in the direction of the barrel I0. The spring clip 78 when positioned as illustrated in Fig. 3 forms a safety for the discharger by preventing actuation of the firing pm.

In the modifications illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the construction is the same as that previously described except for the safety. In this embodiment the shank of the knob II5 is squared so as to provide a pair of flats I I8 and a pair of I flats 520, the flats IIB being positioned on opposite sides of the shank and the flats I20 likewise bein positioned on opposite sides of the shank but 90 from the flats MB. A U-shaped spring clip I22 is secured between the nut I2 and the I breech I2 with the legs I24 extending beyond the nut I2. It Will be noted that the flats I20 are of considerably less axial length than the fiats IIH. When the ends of the sides I24of the clip 422 are contacting the flats I20 as illustrated in Fig. 5, the shoulders I2I at the upper ends of the fiats I20 will engage the ends of the sides I24 of the clip I22, thereby preventing actuation of the firing pin. By turning the knob Ht ninety degrees about the axis of the firing pin from the position in which the knob H6 is illustrated in Fig. 5, the knob IIB will be positioned relative to the legs I24 as illustrated in Fig. 6, and in this position a blow may be imparted to the knob II6 for actuating the firing pin without interference from the legs I24 of the clip I22. The ends of the legs I24 bear against the flats II8 or I20, thereby preventing accidental shifting of the pin H6 from "one of its positions to the other. "The knob H6 and the 4 firing pin I8 on which it is mounted are free to rotate except as resisted by the action of the legs I on the flats H8 or I20.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

I claim:

1. A discharger comprising a barrel, a breech member, a housing projecting from said breech member, and firing mechanism carried by said breech member and including a firing pin and an exposed knob connected to said firing pin in order that a blow may be imparted thereto for moving said knob toward said breech member for actuating said firing pin. said knob being provided with a shoulder on one side thereof facing said breech member and a spring member positioned in the path of movement of said shoulder upon movement of said knob for obstructing movement of said knob and firing pin, said spring member being mounted on said breech member, said knob and spring being constructed and arranged so as to be relatively rotatable about the axis of said firing pin so as to effect disalignment of said spring and shoulder in order to permit actuation of said firing pin, said spring bearing against said knob so as to bias said knob and spring against relative rotation.

2. A discharger comprising a barrel, a breech member, a housing rigidly mounted on said breech member, and firing mechanism carried by said housing and including a firing pin and an exposed knob connected to said firing pin in order that a blow may be imparted thereto for actuating said firing vpin, said knob being provided on one side thereof with a shoulder facing said housing and a spring member fixedly secured to said breech member and positioned in the path of movement of said shoulder upon movement of said knob in one direction and being engageable with said shoulder for obstructing movement of said knob and firing pin, said knob and spring being constructed and arranged so as to be relatively rotatable about the axis of said firing pin so as to permit disalignment of said spring and shoulder in order to permit actuation of said firing pin, said spring bearing against said knob so as to bias said knob and spring against relative rotation.

3. A discharger comprising a barrel, a breech member, a housing fixedly mounted on said breech member and projecting therefrom, and a firing mechanism carried by said housing and including a firing pin and an exposed knob at the rear of said discharger connected to said firing pin in order that a blow may be imparted thereto for actuating said firing pin, said knob being provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced shoulders facing said housing, and a U-shaped spring member, the ends of the arms of said U-shaped member being arranged in the path of movement of said shoulders upon movement of said knob in one direction and being engageable with said shoulders for obstructing movement of said knob and firing pin, said spring member being clamped between said breech member and housing.

LEON V. WHIPPLE.

-(References on following page) Number REFERENCES CITED 1,897992 The following references are of record in the 2,350 717 file of this patent: 2,354,025 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,360,168

Number Name Date 433,260 Walsh July 29, 1890 Number 452,126 Torkels'on May 12, 1891 31 355 570,458 Coston NOV. 3, 189 10 46,390 1,145,036 S'chmid July 6, 1915 85,221 1,436,534 Russell et a1 Nov. 21, 1922 Name Date Ailes Feb. 21, 1933 Blair June 6, 1944 Johnson July 18, 1944 Severance et a1 Oct. 10, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Sweden Mar. 26, 1910 Austria. Feb. 10, 1911 Switzerland June 1, 1920 

